The present invention pertains to the field of contact switches, and in particular, to contact switches for kinetic activity amusement games and the like.
Kinetic activity amusement games, such as pin ball and the like, typically include a game board having a playing surface with a plurality of deflectors and obstacles attached thereto, one or more game balls, and means to urge the game balls onto and within the game board.
Amusement games of the type referred to typically include electronic contact switches having bumper portions responsive to impact by a game ball rolling on the game board such that, when a game ball impacts the contact switch with sufficient energy, the contact switch is temporarily actuated to complete (or interrupt) an electrical circuit through the switch. The changed state of the contact switch can serve to increment a game score, or can serve some other game-related purpose such as initiating a sound or a secondary kinetic activity in the game board. The contact switches typically include means to bias the switch into a rest position (usually an electrically xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d condition), such that after an impact of the switch by a game ball and the subsequent rebound of the game ball, the contact switch returns to the rest (i.e., open) position.
The present invention pertains to a contact switch for a kinetic activity amusement game, such as described above, having novel and improved features. A typical kinetic activity amusement game, in which the contact switch of the invention may be employed, has a game board with a playing surface upon which a game ball may roll. The contact switch of the invention has a contact bumper located above the playing surface of the game board. The contact bumper is preferably removably connected to a universal joint having a ball mounted within a complementary socket located within an interior space of the game board. The contact bumper is responsive to impact by a game ball rolling on the game board, approaching from any angle, such that when a game ball impacts the contact bumper with sufficient kinetic energy, the contact bumper deflects (i.e., tilts about the center of rotation of the ball and socket joint) and the contact switch is temporarily closed, completing an electrical circuit through the switch. The closed state of the contact switch can serve to increment a game score, or can serve some other game-related purpose such as initiating a sound or a secondary kinetic activity in the game board.
Pursuant to one aspect of the invention, a novel and improved contact switch is provided, specially adapted for the purposes indicated, which incorporates a universally pivotable ball and socket joint. The ball member is provided on its upper side with a recess for the removable reception of a contact bumper element, to serve as a contact element for engagement with a rolling ball. A cover element can be inserted into the ball element recess when the bumper is removed, to provide an uninterrupted game board surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a projection extends downward from the ball swivel element and mounts a circular wobble plate. The wobble plate and projection are fixed to the ball swivel, such that the wobble plate is tilted by pivoting movement of the ball in any direction, for example as a result of contact with a moving ball during operation of the kinetic activity amusement game.
According to an aspect of the invention, the wobble plate is positioned directly above and substantially in contact with a resilient switch element, formed of a soft, rubber-like material provided with a plurality of upwardly projecting, elastically displaceable contact bumps positioned at regularly spaced intervals around edge areas of the wobble plate and directly underlying the bottom surface of the wobble plate. When the spherical tilt element is tilted in any direction, the wobble plate is angularly displaced so that portions thereof bear downward on one or more of the contact bumps, causing elastic displacement thereof and resulting in electrical contact being made with underlying printed circuit elements, to effect the desired circuit action. The inherent resiliency of the rubber contact element is such that, when the displacing force on the ball element is released (i.e., the ball that contacted the bumper has moved away) the resilient contact element restores the wobble plate to a neutral or horizontal position, returning the bumper element to a normal, vertically oriented position above the game board.